Mayor Hedlund seeks residents’ input in Public Health Survey for Housing Production Plan
Weymouth, MA – Mayor Robert Hedlund announced today that the Town has released an online Public Health Survey as part of its Housing Production Plan. The purpose of this plan is to analyze Weymouth’s current and future housing needs, and identify goals and strategies to address these needs.
Research shows that the social and physical environments in which people live, learn, work, and play have a powerful impact on public health. These factors are collectively known as the “social determinants of health.” Weymouth’s Public Health Survey considers the intersection of housing and health in the community, as well as the characteristics of a healthy living environment. These characteristics include safe, walkable neighborhoods, access to transportation, affordable and healthy food options, and places for recreation and relaxation for all residents. Lack of these resources, including access to safe and affordable housing, can be detrimental to overall health and quality of life in a community.
“Experts tell us that where we live impacts our ability to make healthy choices. As we examine our community’s housing needs, we also need to consider the opportunities that people currently have to move and eat well and how we can expand these opportunities in the future as a component of our Housing Production Plan,” said Mayor Hedlund. “I encourage all residents to participate in this survey, which is the first of its kind for Weymouth.”
Weymouth’s Public Health Survey is designed to complement and inform the development of the Town’s Housing Production Plan and will be one of several sources of information used to develop the plan. The survey will be available online until July 18, 2017 and may be accessed through the Town’s website or through the following link: www.surveymonkey.com/r/WeymouthPublicHealthSurvey. Residents are encouraged to share this survey with neighbors, friends, family, co-workers, and anyone in their personal network who has a connection to Weymouth. All survey responses are recorded anonymously and will remain strictly confidential.
Information and updates about Weymouth’s Housing Production Plan are now available through the Department of Planning and Community Development’s website: www.weymouth.ma.us/planning-community-development/pages/housing-production-plan-hpp. For additional information on either the Housing Production Plan or the Public Health Survey, please contact Weymouth’s Housing Coordinator, Jane Kudcey, at (781) 340-5015 or send an email to jkudcey@weymouth.ma.us.